Beall Lester Roberts

BEALL LESTER ROBERTS has peacefully gone to be with our Lord and Savior on Thursday morning, April 12, 2012. Visitation will be Saturday, April 14,2012, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Services will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Sunday, April 15, 2012, at the First United Methodist Church in Groesbeck, with Reverend Steve Nance and Brother Richard Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Fort Parker Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Keith Tilley, Bill Sadler, Dale Wilson, Don Sadler, Freddie Dawley and Johnny McMillan, with Honorary Pallbearers being The Masonic Lodge # 354, American Legion Post #288 and Postal Workers, both retired or currently employed. Beall was born at home near the Oletha community on January 11, 1916, to James Benton and Malinda Jane Hastings Roberts. He graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1936, and went to Westminster College in Tehuacana on an athletic scholarship for 2 years, where he played football, basketball, and ran track. He worked on his family’s farm to help for a while and then served in the Army Air Corp from July 24, 1942 until his honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant in charge of supply on February 7, 1946. During this time he married his Valentine Date sweetheart Maxine on September 19, 1942, while on a quick leave, and went back to Amarillo where he was stationed. Maxine followed him by train at a later time, and they lived there until his discharge. When they got back in Limestone County, he worked on the family farm once again, and also helped his brother Curtis with his car dealerships here and in Houston. He then got a job with Barnes and McLane Transportation, where he drove a truck for them back and forth to the Dallas/Ft Worth area. When he got an opportunity to work for the Groesbeck Post Office, he jumped at the chance so he could be home with his growing little family. He worked his way up from Custodian, Desk Clerk, City Carrier and finally Rural Carrier, which he loved, and retired on November 26, 1982 after around 30 years of combined military and USPS. All during his life, he was very active in his community and his church, First United Methodist of Groesbeck. He was Secretary/Treasurer, a charter member of the Methodist Men, on several boards, and an usher for many, many years. He was on the Fort Parker Memorial Park board of directors, Groesbeck Independent School District School Board, Soil Conservation Board, a Master Mason with Lodge#354, and a member of the American Legion Post# 288. All through the years, he was also working on his farm between Groesbeck and Thornton and later on the old home place where he was born near Oletha, raising cattle and in earlier days, helping when it was needed on his parent’s farm. Being active in his community was very important to him, to make it a better place for his family, because he was all about loving his family and providing for them, and loving his Lord and his church. His passing ends the Roberts’ surname legacy of Limestone County Residence which dates back to Charles Roberts in the 1830’s in the first census of the Republic of Texas. Beall was preceded in death by his parents and all five of his siblings and their spouses. He is survived by his loving wife, Maxine Larie Cox Roberts; daughter and son in law, Ginger Kaye and Ron Fritz; daughter and son in law, Patti Lee and Jimmy Roe;and grandson, Benton Frederick Roe. The family would like to give special thanks to Windsor Healthcare Facility staff, Limestone Medical Center and staff and auxiliary, Providence Hospice/Mexia, and Zoe Busby, Sherri Durham, Pam Henry, and Jamal Henry, Dad’s caregivers that were tireless and loving toward him. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to send donations to Providence Hospice, 107 E Commerce, Mexia, Tx. 76667.